Eye Diseases Rising at Rapid Rates in U.S.

June 20, 2012 -- Vision problems -- many of them potentially causing severe vision loss or blindness -- are on the rise in the U.S., according to a new report.

Most dramatic is the rise in diabetic retinopathy, says Jeff Todd, chief operating officer of Prevent Blindness America, which issued the report.

Diabetic retinopathy involves damage to the blood vessels in the retina. It can lead to blindness.

In the past 12 years, it has risen an alarming 89%, Todd tells WebMD. Nearly 8 million people ages 40 and above now have it.

"We suspect that is largely due to the spike in diabetes and the diabetes epidemic we are facing as a country, as well as the increase in Hispanic and African-American populations, which tend to have a higher rate of diabetes," he says.

Another vision problem, age-related macular degeneration, is up substantially, with a 25% increase, Todd says. The macula is the part of the eye that provides sharp, central vision.

More than 2 million age 50 and older are affected now.

The report, titled "Vision Problems in the U.S.," was released today by Prevent Blindness America and the National Eye Institute.

Vision Problem Report Details

These reports are issued periodically, using Census data and new research. For the current update, the researchers compared the current number of Americans with vision problems with the numbers from 2000.

Besides the increases in macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, they found:

A 19% increase in cataracts, with more than 24 million people age 40 and older affected

A 22% increase in open angle glaucoma, with nearly 3 million people age 40 and older affected

Cataracts, more common with age, are a clouding of the eye's lens.

Glaucoma is an increase in fluid pressure in the eye. It can damage the optic nerve and lead to blindness.

About 1.3 million Americans are blind, the report says.

Another 2.9 million have low vision. This is a loss of eyesight that makes everyday tasks such as reading difficult.

Another 34 million, ages 40 and older, have myopia, or nearsightedness.

As the number of Americans with vision problems has been increasing, Todd tells WebMD, funding for research and education programs has been slashed. Last year, the CDC saw its research funding dip from about $3.2 million to about $500,000, he says.